


Falling For You

by fantasticforestfairy



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: ( he is so in love it's ridiculous), Canon Compliant, Falling In Love, M/M, Pre-The Raven Boys, Ronan Lynch Loves Adam Parrish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 15:49:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11581236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fantasticforestfairy/pseuds/fantasticforestfairy
Summary: Ronan and Adam are just friends but maybe Ronan wants to be more than that.





	Falling For You

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to @alecolightwood on tumblr/ somehearts on ao3 for beta reading this little fic
> 
> I'm @soullessminyard on tumblr  
> Come talk to me if you want 
> 
> enjoy :)

It was a chilly Friday afternoon when Gansey announced that they would be going on a quest this weekend. 

Ronan, Adam and Noah were squished together on the old battered sofa at Monmouth while Gansey blabbered on about the magical artifacts he expected to find in a forest, just south of Henrietta. Gansey looked like a crazy professor with his leather bound journal, glasses and elaborate hand gestures. His eyes were shining with excitement but it wasn't reflected back at him from his three students.

Ronan had long stopped listening to Gansey’s rambling, instead he focused on Parrish who was sitting next to him, so close that Ronan could feel his body pressing against his from head to toe.

Adam wasn't clad in his usual coca cola shirt, instead he was wearing a washed-out light green one. It complimented his tanned skin and made the freckles on the bride of his nose and his cheeks stand out even more.

He looked nice. Friends can say that about each other, right? No big deal. Ronan can admit that Parrish has nice eyes or beautiful hands with long elegant fingers without it having to mean anything.

In fact he even told Noah he liked his shirt once. That's totally a thing friends do. Even if Ronan isn't someone who usually compliments people.

When Gansey was finally done with his speech, Ronan almost expected him to bow and honestly he wouldn't put it past him, but instead Gansey proceeded to take notes in his journal and he made the occasional humming noise when he was particularly satisfied with his discoveries. He also drew a detailed map of the region they would be exploring tomorrow.

Ronan could think of a thousand things he would rather do than hike through the forest all day, listening to Gansey wax poetry about magic and ley lines. He was convinced they wouldn't find anything remotely interesting. They never did.

Ronan wasn't even sure if Gansey knew exactly what he was looking for but that didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. If anything, the opposite was the case. The more hopeless their search became the more determined Gansey got to prove everyone wrong.

And because Gansey could be quite convincing and Noah and Parrish had already agreed to join him on his latest adventure, Ronan didn't have much of a choice but to go along with the whole ordeal. 

That's how Ronan ended up spending his Saturday morning in the passenger seat of the pig, trying to annoy all of them with, what they call, his terrible music choices.

They had left at around eight in the morning which gave Ronan even less time than usual to clean up the mess his dreams made.

Tonight a creature similar to a dragon, but with butterfly wings, had chased him around in his dream forest. When Ronan had finally woken up the whole floor of his room had been covered in ashes and even now, hours later, he could still feel the fiery breath of the beast on his skin. 

The drive to their destination took about two and a half hours. They had to stop twice because Gansey thought he heard a weird rattling sound and suspected there could be something wrong with his car, which didn't do anything to improve Ronan's already sour mood.

It wasn't unusual that the pig broke down and there had been a few of these trips that had ended with them waiting for the towing service in the middle of nowhere.

When they arrived at the edge of the designated forest, it was half past ten and Ronan was already done with this day. It was still far too early to be awake on a Saturday and he didn't look forward to the hiking he would have to endure, until Gansey decided they reached the right place for his investigations. 

"Here, that one is for you." Gansey hauled a big backpack out of the trunk of the pig and handed it to Ronan, before taking out a similar but slightly smaller one for himself. Knowing Gansey, Ronan was sure they were filled to the brim with measuring instruments and other knick-knacks. 

At first Ronan tried to protest even though he knew he would end up carrying the bag anyway but when Adam offered to take the bag instead, Ronan just shrugged said "It's alright Parrish. Not the first time I have to play packhorse for our Dick here." 

When they were all set, Gansey pulled a map out of the right pocket of his khaki pants and lead them into the forest without hesitation.

Noah easily followed his fast pace, filled with anticipation of what was to come. He was the only one who loved their little adventures nearly as much as Gansey did. 

Ronan and Adam didn't quite share his enthusiasm. They stayed a few steps behind due to the heavy weight of the backpack Ronan had to carry.

Apart from the reason why he had to be here, Ronan quite liked the place. The forest with it's endless green and buzzing animals was beautiful. The nervous energy that accompanied him the whole morning had disappeared when he entered the peaceful atmosphere of the forest.

Because there wasn't a path they had to find the way through the bushes themselves. And it only took a little while for Ronan's breathing to become faster and sweat to break out on his forehead. He wiped it away with his hand.

"Do you want me to take it? I don't mind." Adam had slowed down next to him and looked at Ronan with furrowed eyebrows. He seemed concerned as if he thought Ronan couldn't handle a bit of a walk. He wasn't weak and he didn't need help, especially not from Parrish. 

"No. I can deal with it." It came out harsher than intended and Ronan immediately noticed the way Adam slightly flinched at the tone of his voice.

Of course he hadn't been able to overlook the blue and green bruises that adorned Adams face on a regular basis but he also didn't know what to do apart from beating the living daylights out of the piece of shit that dared to call himself Adam's father. 

He would do it if Adam wouldn't stop talking to him after that. Then even after the things Parrish’s father did to him Adam wasn't ready to let go and run away from his family. 

So Ronan had no other choice than to keep looking away and to ignore what is directly in front of him, even now. 

They continued walking side by side, without exchanging another word until Gansey stopped and told them that they finally made it to the right place.

It was a small clearing that was surrounded by trees. On the far end Ronan spotted something that could be a stream or a small pond.

Gansey emptied the contents of his backpack in the grass before beckoning Ronan over.

"I need the metal detector from your bag," said Gansey while he helped Ronan put it down onto the grass.

"Perfect!" he shouted when he found the device.

“Do you want to come with us?” Gansey pointed into the direction where Ronan presumed the water was.

“No." Ronan demonstratively crossed the arms over his chest. Gansey wasn't fazed by this display of discontent and took off with an excited Noah by his side.

Adam looked at Ronan for a few seconds before he hurried after the two other boys.

Ronan stayed behind, not interested in crawling around on the forest floor and finding nothing but empty soda cans.

He sat down in the shade of one of the taller trees and waited for the others to come back. With his back leaned against the trunk of the tree and his eyes closed, Ronan allowed his thoughts to wander.

They went back to the monster that had visited him on his dreams tonight and then they drifted off to the hands that pulled him out of the self induced hell that are his dreams.

He would recognise these hands anywhere. Strong but elegant, calloused but still soft. Adam Parrish’s hands were not from this world. 

For a moment Ronan allowed himself to imagine holding these hands in his own. Caressing the soft skin around the knuckles with his thumb and never letting go.

He knew that these weren't things you imagined doing to a friend. Especially not when he thought about kissing said friend's hands next.

Ronan had known for a while that something about Parrish was different from the rest of his friends but it was easier to ignore these feelings than face the cold, harsh truth that they would never be returned.

So he just kept these things to himself like he did with his dreams, in the hope that eventually it would all go away.

Ronan was so lost in thought that he almost didn't hear the footsteps coming his way. When he opened his eyes he saw Parrish walking towards him. There were a few leaves stuck in his hair and Ronan's heart skipped a beat him before he got himself back under control.

"I told you you won't find anything here." Ronan looked up at Parrish who stopped a few steps before him. Gansey and Noah still bustled around in the clearing that was supposed to be the answer to all of Gansey's theories and questions.

"Gansey swore we would find something here." Adam said and frowned in the direction where Gansey just vanished between two bushes.

"This is so fucking stupid." Ronan couldn't help but snarl.

“Just let him be. He will be even more unbearable when he realises that he's been chasing after a fairytale for years." 

Hearing this from Parrish surprised Ronan but he was quickly sidetracked when he noticed that Adam seemed nervous. 

Ronan could tell, despite Adam making a serious effort to seem calm and relaxed but Parrish couldn't hide the way he was looking down to his wrist to check the time every few seconds.

“Got a date?” Ronan knew his voice sounded sharp enough to cut through glass, but he couldn't bring himself to put on a friendly mask. The idea of Adam taking a pretty girl out to dinner and a movie made Ronan's stomach clench. 

Adam's eyes widened and a flush spread over his cheeks and neck. 

“N-no, I just picked up an extra shift at the workshop," he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans, probably to stop himself from checking the time again.

“But there’s still plenty of time until I have to be there." 

Ronan nodded and relief washed over him. He didn't like that Adam was constantly overworking himself but that was still a thousand times better than him dating some girl.

"When do you have to be there?"

"I told you not to stress about it." 

"Just tell me, Parrish." Ronan lifted one of his eyebrows and gave Adam a piercing look. It didn't take long for him to break.

"My shift starts at five." Adam admitted quietly.

"That's in a bit more than three hours. Let's go." Ronan quickly got up from his spot in the grass and went to find Gansey and Noah. Parrish’s protests followed him the whole way. 

It took them about twenty minutes to pack all their stuff and walk back to the car. The ride back to Henrietta was silent. Gansey lacked his usual enthusiasm after his search ended up being fruitless yet again.

They arrived in Henrietta with enough time to spare for Adam to ride his bike from Monmouth to the workshop but Ronan still offered to drive him in his BMW.

Ronan had to coax him into accepting his offer and by the time Adam finally agreed they were almost late.

"Let's go Parrish." Ronan said when he turned the key in the ignition to start his car.

Adam just glared at him while they drove through the streets of Henrietta. He was still sour about losing the argument and having to accept Ronan's help. Ronan thought Parrish was being ridiculous again but there was no way he would tell him that this wasn't pity, that Ronan simply wanted to do something nice for him.

And maybe he also wanted a few minutes alone with Adam. Even if it was just the short ride to his workplace.

"How long are they going to exploit you today?" asked Ronan after a few moments of silence. 

"I'm off at nine. Nico is sick so I'm taking over his shift." Adam sounded defensive, and when Ronan turned his head towards him to give him a look, Adam stubbornly stared out of the car window. 

"I was just asking so I know when I have to pick up your sorry ass." Adam opened his mouth to respond but Ronan stopped him with a wave of his hand.

“Forget about it. I'll wait for you outside at nine," is all Ronan said before they took the last turn and entered the driveway of the workshop.

When Ronan stopped the car in front of the little shop Adam turned towards him.

"You really don't need to do that. I can walk home, it's not that far." Adam fiddled with his fingers in his lap. Ronan shook his head.

“Stop it Parrish! Just let people do nice things for you sometimes. I-We care about you." Ronan wished he could cut his tongue out. It would probably be the best if he never talked to Parrish again. Otherwise he would forget himself and tell him things that he couldn't take back, but then he saw the way Adam’s cheeks started to turn pink and the mere sight took his breath away.

"Thank you," Adam couldn't look at Ronan but Ronan was glad for it since he couldn't stop looking.

“It's okay." Ronan attempted a smile but he was sure it looked more like a grimace. Adam gave him a short nod before he opened the car door and got out. He walked through the door of the workshop without looking back.

Ronan leaned back against the car seat and closed his eyes. He had to wait a few seconds before his heart rate went back to normal. Breathing slowly, he asked himself how he managed to fall for this impossible boy but as hard as he tried, he couldn't come up with an answer.

Then he looked through the big window of the workshop one last time, hoping he could catch a glimpse of Adam but when he couldn't spot him he was finally able to tear his gaze away.  
Ronan started the engine and drove off.


End file.
